


The Parting Glass

by sihaofthefire



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Anne Bonny is fierce and i love her, Canon Compliant, Character Study, Comfort, Eddie and Anne being best buds, Edward is a big softy tbh, Edward is a good man, F/M, Gen, I'm lonely and I write to fill the Void, Platonic Relationships, Post-Game(s), Reader-Insert, So many cliches, This is actually pretty sad if you think about it whoops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:09:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26777161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sihaofthefire/pseuds/sihaofthefire
Summary: Edward Kenway has lived a full yet complicated life. Happily married with two children and a new dog, Edward takes a detour on an evening walk and finds himself in a place that reminds him of the golden days.
Relationships: Anne Bonny & Edward Kenway, Edward Kenway/Reader, Edward Kenway/Tessa Kenway (mentioned)
Kudos: 7





	The Parting Glass

Despite all of their history together, Time had been good to Edward Kenway. It was not always pleasant nor had It been kind, but despite his many, many misdeeds, Time had somehow rewarded him with a loving wife, two beautiful children and a rather large dog.

The Irish wolfhound more than lived up to his namesake. From his scruffy dark hair and unruly behaviour, it was an insincere suggestion but Haytham seemed to cling onto the name with delight. As melancholic the thought was, Edward could only be relieved that Blackbeard was no longer around to hear the mockery, lest he be hit in the head with a tankard. While not quite the same, the thought still filled him with nostalgia: Kenway and Thatch together again. 

Upon hearing the dull thud of Edward's sturdy boots hitting the floor, Thatch almost ricocheted off of the walls and into the corridor. He bounded towards Edward, who then had to manage to lace his boots between an onslaught of slobbery kisses and tail whipping. He could have said he hated it but Thatch was still a pup. Young Haytham was growing up too quickly for his liking, so having a true dependant soley relying on him was... gladly received. Smiling fondly, Edward pat the soft fur atop the dog's head before grabbing a plain overcoat and lead.

The air was brisk. Not quite cold enough to make one's breath visible, but not far off. The earlier crystal blue sky had become inky, with clouds tinged a burnt orange. The palette evoked memories of hastily assembled naval strategies, sweet rum, and sweeter riches. Edward set off with Thatch at a reasonable pace, briefly stopping when the dog began to pull. He had no set destination in mind. At this moment he was a just man walking his dog, no past and no future. The children had settled down for the night and Tessa often rolled her eyes at the suggestion of dog walking when the weather was less than favourable. He could almost hear her saying that the dog was his idea and therefore his responsibility. Maybe she had a point. Regardless, it gave him time to be. He did not have to be the father, the husband or the master assassin right now. While he took pride in being all of those things, it was important to have moments of freedom from the demands of life.

Thus, the responsible dog owner that was Edward Kenway found himself sat in the corner of a modest little tavern up a back street in the city of London. As a precaution, he was close to the entrance, but tonight would be a surprising night for trouble. It was, after all, Sunday evening and people were needed for work the following day.

His skin raised with goosebumps as the sound of casual footsteps cut through the low hum of chatter between patrons. Looking up from Thatch, Edward came face to face with an uncanny countenance. 

There was something about the stance - hand on hip, tray dangling from nimble fingers - that reminded him of a certain redhead. While your features were not necessarily alike, there was a kindred determination gleaming through the bright eyes that gazed back at him. 

"Welcome to The Parting Glass, can I get you anything?"

It was not Anne that stood before him; he could not help but wonder where she was now. Was she well? Was she _happy_? Your eyebrow raised in confusion. Oh right, you'd asked a question. He ordered the first drink that came into his head and you sauntered to the bar to complete the request. 

There was a sense of surrealism about the whole situation, the familiarity, hell, even the name of the pub. He was not a man to believe in fate, but the pressure in his chest along with the incessant need to bounce his leg was convincing him otherwise. Surely this was all just coincidental. Don't be a fool, Kenway. 

He took a deep breath of wintry air. You returned with a full glass and a beaming smile. 

"Can I get you anything else, sir? Might have some scraps from the kitchen for the dog."

"No lass, thank you... Unless you want to keep this old man company for a while."

You laughed, he may have had more than a few years on you but there was barely a grey in his neatly trimmed beard. You seemed to ponder the situation before taking the seat across from the blond haired man. Thatch perked up at the new company before settling on the floor beneath the table between the two.

"Slow night?"

"Yeah, a little." The simple gold band on his left ring finger beautifully reflected the warm Inn light, "Wife kicked you out?"

"Not yet. Duty calls with this one", he smiled, gesturing to the dog. 

The conversation flowed easily between the two. In the brief interludes where Edward closed his eyes, he felt as though he could have been back in Great Inagua. With Anne. With the others. As much as he was enjoying being lost in the past, he was more than appreciative of his company at present.

There were times where your job took you away from the intriguing stranger, but you always found your way back somehow, drawn to his enigmatic personality. There was a slight stiffness to his manner, as though he was not entirely comfortable, but his smile was warming and his gaze respectful.

"Don't get a lot of men like you around here, Eddie."

"Probably for the best, lass."

"I'm being serious. If it weren't for the pay, it wouldn't be worth the hassle," you sighed. Unspoken insinuations hung in the air.

Now this was a situation he was familiar with. Had he been the same reckless man from his misspent youth, he'd have been part of that very problem. He had since matured and grown in respect for others. He had since seen the ways that Anne would skirt around the patrons who possessed wandering hands; seen how she'd still save face and smile at them. But it never reached her eyes. 

He asked her about it once and that was enough. It was just them. She laughed at first and playfully hit his arm, acting as though nothing was wrong and proclaiming just the same. While the punch connected, his arm did not ache - it had been a long day and Anne was not feeble but her actions lacked their usual power. 

Instead of pressing for more, Edward threw a muscular arm across Anne's hunched shoulders. The burning Caribbean sun had set but the night air was still humid. They slowly paced along the pale beach, the sound of gentle waves and crunching sand easing the atmosphere, before Edward broke the illusion of calm. 

He placed a soft kiss on the crown of her head, stating, "You're worth more than all of 'em combined, don't forget."

She immediately stopped and stepped back. Before he could reach out, she turned to him, face pale and eyes wider than anything he'd ever seen grace her features before. And then her bottom lip began to waver and his heart broke. He pulled her into an embrace, holding her tightly as her smaller frame shook with the occasional sob. To see someone who was usually so strong reduced to tears served as a reminder that even the studiest of ships cannot endure storm after storm without any damage.

Together they stood, swaying slightly, like the palm trees in the breeze. It did not matter how long they stood there for, only that Anne's tears had subsided.

"Got more balls than 'em all too."

She hit him. _Hard_. But the look she gave him held so much affection that the dull throbbing pain in his arm was a good indicator that he was, in fact, a decent man when he chose to be.

And he chose to be right now. 

"A friend of mine, she used to do this. Hid a corkscrew in her boot, or wherever it'd fit really. And if anyone got too hands on: eyes, throat, groin."

"Thanks?"

"And I told her the same thing, you're worth isn't defined by some letchy arseholes."

"It's just hard sometimes."

"Can't have light without darkness."

"Very poignant," you chuckled, "but talking about the dark, it is getting late."

"Aye, the wife'll be wondering where I am."

"Not going to offer to walk me home?"

"I would if I wasn't a wanted man," he winked. You rolled your eyes.

While he did want to escort you, it was not worth putting you on the radar of any unsavoury characters, so he made sure you got to your destination under the guise of the shadows.

"Don't be a stranger now. Dog like that must need walking often."

"No promises but I'll try not to be. I'll even try to stay out of trouble. Now, chin up lass and stay safe", he held out his hand. Instead of shaking your hand, he brought it to his lips and kissed your knuckles. Charmer. 

"You too. Stay safe."

With that, he left with his large, lethargic dog. You watched them both fade into the cold darkness of the night, hoping that they would not revert to being strangers to The Parting Glass Inn. You cleared the table you had shared and did a final sweep of the tavern.

Only Time could tell whether he'd be back, and It was more than happy to keep that a secret.


End file.
